Taking a vacation from your problems sounds great, doesn’t it? If you’re looking for a car, replacing or purchasing one for the first time, why not fix all your automotive problems by buying the 2025 Chevy Malibu? The aptly named Malibu is a relaxed take on the midsize sedan experience—you get a feature-packed experience at a fantastic price, at the expense of not being the strongest midsize in the bunch. There’s plenty to discuss with the Malibu, so I’ve broken down the four trim levels you can buy to give you a better idea of what type of features to expect with any of the four. Let’s begin!
LS
To kick off, I’ll tell you what I believe: the LS is an enigma. “An Enigma?” I hear you say. Yes, and I’ll explain why. If you’re shopping for anything and given options—four, in the 2025 Malibu’s case—then history dictates that corporations would coerce you into spending the most money possible to get an undoubtedly better experience. What Chevy has managed to do with the LS is to provide what I’d consider about 75% of the full Malibu experience, with each trim serving as the icing and cherry on top with features that perhaps aren’t considered priority, but rather more in the realm of luxury. I’ll explain more once we get there. However, what makes the LS an enigma is how you get much of what Chevy offers with the Malibu, but at its low starting price of $25,800.
I should discuss engine specifications with you next because the LS is equipped with the one powertrain configuration every Malibu shares: a turbocharged 1.5L I-4 engine paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT.) The LS, like the RS, LT, and 2LT, outputs 163 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, providing enough horsepower and torque throughput for everyday travel on the freeway, within the city, even if you commute as much as five to seven days a week.
The LS comes standard with Chevy Safety Assist, meaning the base 2025 Malibu gets features like Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, and more. You also get Chevy Teen Driver, as usual, with Chevy automobiles. Referring back to my statement about the 2025 Malibu being an enigma—these safety features, combined with the standard 8-inch infotainment center with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a Wi-Fi hotspot for its price, make it hard not to see my point.
RS
Explaining the RS isn’t complicated. The RS is if you take the LS, and make it slightly more premium. The RS starts at an MSRP of $26,800, and some of its most notable highlights include visual flourishes like dual exhaust outlets, Chevy’s distinct bowtie emblem, both the front and back, sporting a striking black color instead of the traditional gold color, with a matching black grille, a rear spoiler, and 18-inch wheels instead of the 16-inch wheels of the LS.
The majority of the RS upgrades over the LS are found within the cabin. For example, the 6-way manually-adjustable driver’s chair in the base model is removed to make room for an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support. The steering wheel in the RS is wrapped in leather—another change over the base model. It’s these changes that don’t change the way the vehicle drives but rather features that give you an extra sense of luxury and treat you for spending more on a higher-tier trim.
LT
The LT starts at an MSRP of $28,100 and has several additions. Outside of the vehicle are heated power-adjustable side mirrors that match your Malibu’s body color, along with LED daytime running lamps. LED tail lamps are available for the 2025 Malibu LT, along with 19-inch wheels—17-inch wheels come standard. Inside the LT, you’ll spot a few differences, including air vents on the rear console for rear seat passengers, with included armrests, and the front row gets heated seats.
Comfort is a large part of the LT, with the front row not only getting the heated seats but also receiving standard Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control. The LT can be configured with the Sport Edition package, including black Chevy emblems and Malibu badge, a black interior, 19-inch all-season tires, and 19-inch black wheels. The Redline Edition is also available, which mixes the black emblems, badge, and grille with bright red outlines and is as visually striking as it sounds. Where
2LT
The 2LT is what you get when you say you want the best Malibu model. Chevy turns the luxury dial to 11 with the 2LT, providing the last pieces of the puzzle that maximize the 2025 Malibu’s potential. Some of the most notable 2LT highlights include standard 19-inch wheels, leather-wrapped shift knob, standard LED headlamps, and the front-row passenger seat is upgraded to a 6-way power-adjustable chair, meaning both front-row seats in the Malibu 2LT are power-adjustable heated seats—the seats are also leather.
Another upgrade is the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus System, which not only adds an 8-inch screen with higher fidelity than the standard one but built-in navigation software comes with the 2LT. The 2LT also comes standard with a wireless phone charging pad, so charging your phone is easily done by placing it on the pad. Using wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto while wirelessly charging your phone keeps the interior clutter-free. Your favorite music will sound amazing through the 2LT’s 9-speaker audio system from Bose.
With the 2LT, you can opt for the Driver Confidence and Cruise Package, which expands on the standard Ford Co-Pilot360 integration. With the Driver Confidence and Cruise Package, you get features like Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking and Automatic Parking Assist—you’ll never be manually parallel parking again, making life much easier. The 2LT’s safety feature upgrades also include available Adaptive Cruise Control.
Regular cruise control is rudimentary by today’s standards, with the driver picking a speed, and the vehicle retains that speed until the driver either accelerates or decelerates, the latter of which may be common on the freeway, leaving many drivers to avoid using it. Adaptive Cruise Control takes the two actions that normally would deactivate cruise control and performs them autonomously, meaning your vehicle will slow down if the car ahead of you is slowly stopping, and once that driver speeds back up, so will you.
How Big is the Cabin?
Regardless of which of the four 2025 Malibu trims you buy, the dimensions don’t change. I’m glad the dimensions don’t change, as the 2025 Malibu is nearly the perfect fit in many ways. Each 2025 Malibu has a passenger volume of 102.9 cu.ft., but curb weight can slightly differ—3,135 lbs for the LS and RS, 3,159 lbs for the 1LT, and 3,223 lbs for the 2LT. Every other measurement between trims is identical.
Your 2025 Malibu will be 57.3 inches tall, 73 inches wide (without mirrors,) and 194.2 inches long, with a 111-inch wheelbase and 62.6 and 62.5-inch front and rear track widths, respectively. The front row of the 2025 Malibu has 39.1 inches of headroom and 41.5 inches of legroom, with 58.5 and 54.1 inches of shoulder and hip room, ultimately culminating in a comfortable and roomy interior to drive in. Behind you and your front-row passenger, anyone seated in the back has 37.5 inches of headroom, 38.1 inches of legroom, and 57.1 and 53.4 inches of shoulder and hip room, respectively. I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you how much I appreciate the 2025 Malibu’s cargo space, with an incredible 15.7 cu.ft. of space in the trunk.
What’s My Recommendation?
Let’s close things out by discussing my recommendation. If you’re purchasing a brand-new Malibu, you should know that any trim you purchase will provide you with a fun and reliable experience. However, if your budget calls for it, I believe you should spring for one of the higher-tier trims—notably, the 2LT is full of modern features that are sure to stand the test of time for a while. Regardless, if I were the one shopping for a 2025 Malibu, I’d pick the model that fits my budget. I mentioned the base model carries much of the overall Malibu experience while buying a higher-tier trim gets you even more, so consider that before you make your choice.
